Of Love and Loss
by Kitty in the Box
Summary: This story takes us back on a much deeper understanding of the love between Suzuki Takeshi and Morita Toru from Takumi-kun: The Rainbow-Colored Glass. This is a story of love, friendship and the the ties that bind even from beyond.
1. Boys will be boys

This story takes us back on a much deeper understanding of the love between Suzuki Takeshi and Morita Toru from Takumi-kun: The Rainbow-Colored Glass. This is a story of love, friendship and the the ties that bind even from beyond. This story have gone through several revisions, formats and had taken several months to accomplish. I am finally pleased with the results and I hope I have given them justice. Hope you enjoy this experience.

"_The time between meeting and finally leaving is sometimes called falling in love." - Lisa Loeb_

* * *

><p><strong>OF LOVE AND LOSS<strong>

"So what do you think?" Gii eyed Suzuki curiously.

"About what?" Suzuki replied not breaking his gaze on the chess board.

"Oh come on! You know exactly what I'm talking about." Gii looked at him amused.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about. If this is your way of breaking my concentration, forget it." Suzuki shook his head and moved his chess piece and batted the timer.

"Kazuki Takahashi. The sophomore I introduced to you the other day. What do you think of him?"

"He's okay, I guess." Suzuki shrugged.

"Okay? That's it? That's all you can say about him? Didn't you guys hit it off right away?" Gii looked surprised.

"No, we didn't. I wasted 10 minutes of my time having to listen to someone ramble on and on what an amazing person Saki Giichi is. If you're trying to show off your fan boys to me in this school, it's not working." Suzuki replied nonchalantly.

"What the hell? I swear I thought he totally liked you. That weasel! He's gonna hear it from me." Gii sounded very annoyed. After procuring such a potential guy for Suzuki and that person blew it. _Damn it! _

"Nah! Forget about it. Seriously, dude..why you even bother introducing me to anyone. I already told you I'm not interested. You've already introduced 15 guys to me since last year. And I didn't even ask you to." Suzuki smirked at him while he scratched his eyebrow with his thumb.

"Well, I didn't want you to be lonely, that's all." Gii smiled but his eyes looked at his old friend with genuine concern.

"I'm not lonely. I'm fine." Suzuki looks at him assuredly. He knew Gii was being worried about him again. Gii is one of the closest people in his life who is privy to his health condition.

"Are you sure? 'Cause you look like you really need some company." Gii obviously didn't look like he was giving up.

"I swear Gii if you were not born to inherit your father's company, you would definitely have a promising future being a pimp for a club or a bar." Suzuki chuckled.

"Now that's just mean." Gii sat back and frowned at his friend who obviously didn't look like he was taking it back. Gii narrowed his eyes studied him for two seconds and leaned over and said, "You really think so? I could be a great pimp?" He grinned.

"Hai." Suzuki nodded assuredly.

"Good to know." Gii nodded and smiled and moved a chess piece and batted the timer.

The door opens and a tired-looking Akaike Shozo walks inside the room. "Tadaima."

"Okaeri." Gii and Suzuki chorused.

"How was your day in the office, darling?" Gii gives him a naughty smile while batting his eyelashes in rapid succession.

"Not so bad. What are you two girlfriends talking about while I was gone?" Akaike took off his blue jacket, put it on a hanger and deposited it into the closet.

"Fuck buddies." Gii shrugged.

"Dorm sex slaves." Suzuki yawned.

"Right." Akaike snerked as he began untying his necktie. He wasn't the least bit surprised anymore with the choice of language those two shared when there were only the three of them together. Had they stopped talking like that then that would be just plain weird. He took off his white uniform and put on a fresh blue shirt. He decided he'd take his pants off later. He stretches himself on his bed and relaxes his head over his forearms.

"So which of you two losers are winning?" He looks at them.

"Me of course as usual." Suzuki raised an eyebrow with genuine pride.

"Not even close, nerd." Gii frowned.

"Checkmate in two, pretty boy." Suzuki smirked.

"Liar!" Gii huffed but his eyes roamed wildly at the chessboard wondering where those two moves were going to come from.

Suzuki grinned, made his move and just like that, he won.

"What the hell?" Gii looked at the chessboard aghast.

"See? I told you, I'd get you in two moves." Suzuki laughed triumphantly.

"Whatever." Gii turned away to face Akaike who was now leisurely browsing a sports magazine.

"So how was your day like? Let me guess, the rich little brats have been picking a fight with the other rich little brats in class?" Gii raised an eyebrow obviously amused.

"Well, yeah, there's that. They were about to stab each other with pencils. PENCILS! Stupid jerks." Akaike shook his head in irritation as he flipped a page of the magazine he is reading.

"I'm glad I don't work for the discipline committee." Gii laughed.

"Yeah but you got a trail of fan boys who follow you around like ducklings every single day." Suzuki rolls his eyes as he put the chess board and chess pieces away before moving to sit on the edge of the bed because Gii is now lying on his stomach and has already occupied most of the entire bed space.

"Oh yeah. That. Damn it." Gii buried his face on the pillow and groaned.

"Anyway, there was someone interesting today. Transferee. Freshman. Morita something. I forgot. Anyway, he arrived this morning to school accompanied by his mother. Quiet kid. Kinda shy but has inquisitive eyes. Matsumoto-sensei assigned me to tour him around the school on Monday since it'll be his first day." Akaike yawned, laid the magazine on his bedside table and stretched his arms.

"Transferee, huh? We don't get those types much in this school, do we?" Gii asked.

"Nope. Not much at all. Quite a rarity actually. But the kid passed the requirements of this school so he's gonna be studying here for sure." Akaike now stands up and starts to pull out a fresh pair of white pajamas from the cabinet.

"Gii, come on, man. It's late. I'm sleepy. Go back to your room. Now." Suzuki punches Gii's leg and tries to push him off the bed.

"Don't wanna. I still wanna play with you, guys." Gii whined and frowned but reluctantly moved away from the bed.

"If you don't leave, we're gonna tell Hayama about this American greeting kiss thing and that you just made it all up." Akaike grinned.

"Alright, alright, fine. I get it. Goodnight, ladies. I'll see you both tomorrow." Gii grudgingly heads towards the door. But only a few seconds after he has closed the door behind him, he opens the door again, sticks his head out and gives the biggest pout he could muster. "You're not gonna tell him, I just made that up, would you? I'd never get an excuse to kiss him in the open anymore. You know how I love it when he looks so flustered and cute when I do that."

"GOOD NIGHT, YOU SADIST! " Suzuki and Akaike yells at him and throws a pillow which hits Gii right in the face and they all laugh.


	2. Life in Shidou

"Is everything going well for you there? Are you alright?"

He rolled his eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time in a row. He didn't realize that his mother's worry for him could manage to reach a certain level of annoyance for him How many more times would he have to convince her that he's fine and that there was nothing to worry about?

"I told you I'm alright. There's nothing to worry about, okay? I'm fine. If anything comes up, you're the first to know. I promise. How many times do we have to go through this?"

"Well, don't sound so annoyed. I'm your mother for God's sake. I have every right to worry, you know. You're so far away. "

"I know...I know." He leaned his head to the wall and closed his eyes.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you're alright. Remember to call me if anything happens. I don't care what time it will be. Don't you dare hesitate."

"Hai. Goodbye, Ma."

"Goodbye. You take care of yourself, you hear?"

"I hear you."

Suzuki Takeshi let out a deep sigh after putting the phone down. Why did it always have to be this way on the phone with his mother? It's not like he was fragile for God's sake. Okay, he admitted he had a serious bone condition but he was determined to live a meaningful life in Shidou. He's gone a year without any major incident and he damn will do his best to see it through this as much as he could. He didn't really blame his mother's ever-growing concern. His parents and doctors were staunchly against his decision to go to high school. Opting that he would be home schooled instead. But the thought of being cooped at home was murder for him. In the end, he managed to convince his parents of his decision to enter Shidou High Academy. Despite much reluctance on their part, his parents eventually agreed provided he followed some ground rules, one of them being able to update them regularly of his condition. They could not deny him in the end. He was their only son after all. They would have moved mountains for him and he knew it.

_I should get back to the science club, _he thought.

* * *

><p>"How are you enjoying the tour so far, Morita-kun?" Akaike Shozo patted him on the shoulder which earned a self-conscious smile from the freshman.<p>

"Very much, Akaike-senpai. My mother and I only saw a bit of Shidou last time we were here before she left for Australia. And now having seen more places, I am very happy to be here."

"Well, you know the drill. Keep your grades up. Your manners checked. I'm sure you'll get along with a lot of people here." Akaike smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

"I look forward to that very much., Akaike-senpai." He nodded.

"Hmmmm...lemme check my list here. I hope I'm not skipping anything else. Aha...so we've been to the cafeteria, the dorms, the classrooms, the gymnasium...hmmm...what else?" Akaike studied his folder while Morita looked around savoring the atmosphere around him. He felt excited. He felt good. _I'm so glad to be here. _He made a mental note to tour his mother around the school grounds when she came to visit. Shidou felt like another world to him. A kind of world he has never been before. None of the schools they visited ever gave him this much high. He must have been overwhelmed and it felt good. He decided that this is where he can belong and make the best memories as he could.

"Oh yeah...I think you'll like our next stop. One of Shidou's finest...the library." He smiled.

At the very word "library", Morita's eyes widened and his ears perked up at the sound of it. He loved it. He did see a preview of the library from one of the school's brochures and he knew there was a whole lot more to it. The Shidou High Academy Library earned the ranking of one of Japan's best libraries. The anticipation to see it and hang out there as much as he can in the future was making his heart skip.

"Alright, library it is! Follow me." Akaike tucked the folder underneath his arm and walked ahead of Morita who was trying to contain all his excitement as best as he could.


	3. I wonder who he is?

_Nothing beats a nice warm shower before bedtime, _Suzuki draped the damp bath towel over his shoulders. As he walked along the hallway towards his room, he hesitated. _Hmmmm...I think I should call Ma about getting my prescription refilled. _He turned towards his left and went down the stairs and proceeded to where the dorm's telephone was located. He usually preferred such late hours to make his calls since he didn't have to put up with the hassle of the other boys using the phone. He always preferred to make his calls as private as possible. He didn't like the idea of people eavesdropping on his conversation with his parents especially since it was mostly concerned about his condition.

But to his surprise, someone else was using the phone at this hour. He wondered if he should just turn back and return to his room and call his mother tomorrow night instead. But just as he was about to turn back...

Laughter.

And it wasn't the boisterous type either. It sounded like the kind of laughter that made you turn your head to find its source. Strangely it sounded like you wanted to listen more of. Suzuki smiled at the thought and ironically found himself in the most unlikely position he had wanted other boys not do while he was on the phone, eavesdropping. He leaned by the wall and hid himself from view.

"Hahaha! That's so funny! I should remember that."

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm eating well. The food is good. My room mate is a funny guy. He likes cracking jokes too. I should share this one you told me with him. He'll get a kick out of it, I'm sure."

"Eh? Really? That's so cool! I'm really happy for you. Thank God, you got it. I got good news too. They made me class monitor! Haha!"

"Uh-huh...hmmmm..I guess...I could ask around. Maybe. I will. I promise."

"I promise to do that tomorrow. Really! I was going to. Yeah. I know. Me too. I hope your colds go away. Please don't get sick. Please take some medicines."

"Alright, alright...you too. Miss you too. I love you, Mama. Bye. I'll talk to you soon. Good night."

_Ah, so he was talking to his mom. _Suzuki smiled. It was rather refreshing having to listen to a lighthearted moment on the phone between mother and son. Most of the guys he knew didn't quite share that kind of sweet relationship with their parents. He thought about his mother. Of course, he loves his parents very much but then he was raised differently and with the added burden of his condition, things were not always what he had hoped to be and made him see things in a different light. _Hmmm...I guess I should be talking to my mother after all. _

As Suzuki moves away from the wall where he was standing, he finds himself face to face with the gentlest eyes he's ever seen in his life. Morita stood frozen from where he stood. No words were spoken. Neither of them could pull their gaze away from each other.

_How long has it been? A minute or two?_ Neither of them knew. Suzuki didn't understand what force just held him there. Why couldn't he move? Morita wasn't sure why he couldn't peel his eyes away from the man that stood a few meters away from him. He couldn't even dare himself to blink.

"Anou..." He stammered. The silence now broken, Morita reluctantly felt he had to say something.

"Hai?" Suzuki replied. The sound of his voice alone made Morita's heart beat faster. _What is with this guy that I should feel this way? _

"Are you going to use the phone too?" Morita asked him gently.

"Yes, I was going to."

"I hope you didn't wait too long. I'm really sorry." Morita bowed apologetically.

"No. Not at all." Suzuki shook his head and smiled.

Morita felt his heart skip with the smile and he instinctively smiled back at Suzuki. "I guess I should be going now. Good night." Morita gave him a slight bow and began to walk towards the hallway to where Suzuki now stood. He still could not pull away his gaze from him and it felt like everything around them slowed down a bit. Their eyes focused on each other the entire time until finally Suzuki was snapped back into reality. Morita was now walking down the stairs to the end of the hallway.

_What just happened here? _

* * *

><p>For Suzuki Takeshi the evening had never been better. After a rather lighthearted conversation with his mother on the phone, he suddenly felt a sense of warmth around him. As he returned to his room, Shozo noticed the change in his face but chose not to pry any further. He just kept reading his book and scribbling on his notebook. Suzuki laid his aqua blue bath towel on the chair beside the study table. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes with a smile on his lips. The image of those gentle eyes staring back at him still in his mind as he plays back the entire scene in his head before sleep quickly overtook him.<p>

_I wonder who he is. _

* * *

><p>Morita Toru tossed and turned in his bed. For the life of him, he could not sleep. He felt his heart was racing. He envied his room mate who has been happily snoring in his sleep hours ago. He looked at his bedside clock and saw it was already 12 midnight. <em>"This is insane."<em> He thought. He tried to smother himself with his pillow but he could not keep still. He could not close his eyes to sleep. He kept replaying the scene that transpired earlier.

Morita Toru, mystery novel fan boy and firm believer of fate and destiny just had the surprise moment of his life. One that he will never be able to forget and is the cause of his sudden bout of sleep deprivation.

_I wonder who he is._


	4. Club Gii is officially closed

The days moved on and neither of them could ever forget that first encounter they had that evening. Suzuki visited the phone booth every night at the same hour hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious boy whose gentle eyes he could not forget. That sweet indulgent laughter and the shy smile. But he never showed up. He had contemplated about asking Akaike regarding the identity of this boy but there was something about him that he wanted to find out for himself. It was his discovery and he wanted to find out more about him through his means without the help of anyone else. It dawned to him that he did not want to share this knowledge with the ones closest to him either, at least not yet until he found what he needed to know. A name. Another chance meeting. Any excuse to see him once again.

He was rather surprised at how tongue-tied he was that fated evening. For the first time in his life, he has never experienced anything quite like it. He wondered if that boy was thinking about him too. Did he think about him in the same way as he did? Or has he forgotten the whole incident already? _Shidou is really a large place after all._

Suzuki's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yo!" Gii smiled as he walked into the Science club room. Suzuki was arranging the tools he would need for his new experiment. Gii noticed a red book on the desk with the word "Fractale" on it.

"What's this about?"

"Why do you wanna know?" Suzuki eyed him curiously.

"Just because..." Gii shrugged and opened the book and browsed a few pages.

Suzuki smirked. Science was not Gii's strongest suit nor had the patience for it despite being a smart student. Though they both shared a similar passion for seeking answers to certain mysteries, Suzuki preferred a more solitary approach while Gii preferred to tap into connections and resources. He wanted answers fast.

"So what brings you here, Gii?" Suzuki took the book away from Gii and placed it together with the other reference books on the wooden shelf. He made a mental note to return the book to the library first thing in the morning.

"Oh, well the guys and I are gonna hang out at the cafeteria. I just came by to fetch you." Gii smiled at him.

"Okay, sure thing." Suzuki unplugged the PC then turned off the light in the room and locked the door on their way out.

"I'm hungry." Gii grinned.

"You're always hungry." Suzuki snickered.

* * *

><p>When they arrived the cafeteria, Akaike waved at them. He was seated near their favorite spot by the glass windows.<p>

"Where's Takumi? I thought he should already be here by now." A confused Gii looked at Akaike as he pulled up a chair to sit down.

"Takabayashi went out to fetch him. Don't worry, they'll be here soon." Akaike smiled.

"So what do you guys wanna have?" Gii asked.

"You're buying, right?" Suzuki pointed at him inquisitively.

"You had to ask?" Gii raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, aside from coffee. I want food. I want curry buns. You think they still have some curry buns? I want cake. Cake would be nice with coffee. Takumi will like cake. Maybe some chips. Been craving for potato chips ever since Shinobu-sensei talked about potatoes in class. Hmmmm...how about you guys?"

Akaike and Suzuki looked clearly amused with Gii's behavior. It was funny watching their friend when he was craving for something to eat. It was like watching a little kid's first trip to a supermarket. If it were not for his strict workout routine, it wouldn't be surprising if he ballooned in size in no time. His sudden bouts of food craving and appetite are legendary in Shidou.

"Well, since you're buying, I want a vanilla latte and a butterscotch bar. No, make that two bars." Akaike replied.

"I think I'll have brewed coffee and maybe a slice of cake."

"What kind of cake?" Gii asked

"I'm not picky. As long as it's chocolate and no mint. Who puts mint in chocolates anyway? Mint is for toothpaste and shampoo." Suzuki narrowed his eyes.

"I hope Takabayashi and Takumi show up already. I'm hungry." Gii complained.

Akaike and Suzuki chuckled and shook their heads.

"Anyway, while we're waiting...I've been waiting for your reply about this guy I would like to introduce to you. His name's Minato Sato. He's in second year just like us." Gii grinned.

"Oh crap...not again." Suzuki looked at Gii exasperatedly. Akaike simply smiled as he observed his friends' exchange.

"No listen up...I'm telling you this one's really good. I guarantee it. He's kind of a science geek like you. But a cool geek. He likes chemistry. I think the two of you will it hit off famously and you will have lots of things to talk about." Gii was grinning from ear to ear sounding very proud of himself

Suzuki frowned and turned to Akaike and nudged his shoulder. "Can you tell your friend to stop pimping guys to me?"

Akaike merely shrugged at him. "Not my problem."

Suzuki narrowed his eyes at him. "You're useless." and Akaike laughed.

"Oh come on! Just give the guy a chance. I can set up the meeting tomorrow at your convenience." The tone in Gii's voice remained insistent and hopeful.

"The answer is no. I'm not gonna give him a chance or whatever. You're just hungry that's why you're talking weird again. Ugh!" Suzuki rubbed his face exasperatedly.

Gii rested his cheek on his hand and studied his friend. Suzuki was now leaning back on his chair. The frown remained in his face as he was looking away and drumming his fingers impatiently on the table. _Yeah, sure he was hungry but he was serious about the introduction. _He wondered why Suzuki rejected the offer a bit too quickly. Normally, he would agree to meet regardless whether he liked them or not. But not this time. He had been trying to get Suzuki to agree with the meeting for days, but he did not show the least bit of interest. Gii wondered what could have brought the change.

The silence was broken as two boys entered the cafeteria. Gii, Akaike and Suzuki looked to see who they were, expecting it would be Takabayashi and Takumi. They were were carrying their food trays and now finding a table for them to occupy. Akaike recognizing them immediately waved at the pair.

"Hey there!"

The scruffy-haired one named Tatsuya smiled widely and waved back. "Ah! Akaike-senpai!" The two boys walked towards the trio. Gii casually smiled at them. Suzuki's eyes widened with surprise. The other boy walking behind Tatsuya was the one he had been wanting to see again all this time.

"I haven't seen you guys in a while. How are you?"

"Oh I'm good. I've been busy with club activities recently and all. By the way, this one here is my room mate, Morita Toru." Tatsuya grinned and patted Morita's back.

"Oh yeah, of course. I remember you. How have you been, Morita-kun?" Akaike smiled.

Morita bowed and smiled shyly. His grip on his food tray tightened. Never did he expect that he would see the cause of his many sleepless nights staring at him at this very moment.

"Very good, Akaike-senpai. It's good to see you again." He was trying not to look too obvious and tried to veer away from staring back at Suzuki.

"Well that's good to hear. Anyway, this is Saki Giichi. I'm sure you guys know him by now. And this one here is our friend Suzuki Takeshi."

At the mention of his name, Morita could not quell the smile in his lips. _Ah, now I know who you are. _A sudden wave of relief came over him. He had been wanting to see him again or catch a glimpse of him for days but had no idea how to find him. Being new in school, he wanted to find out things for himself and didn't want to arouse suspicions from any of his classmates if they found out how keen he was in finding out the identity of the mysterious guy he laid eyes with at the phone booth that fated evening. And here he is in the company of two of the most popular and well-respected students of Shidou High Academy.

"Pleased to meet you, Gii-senpai...Suzuki-senpai." Morita bowed courteously. He could hear his heart beating loudly in his head. Suzuki nodded his head. He could not even blink. It was crazy. He hoped no one had noticed anything. Later he and Tatsuya walked towards another table. Unbeknown to Suzuki and Morita, Gii and Akaike exchanged knowing glances at what just transpired during that brief introduction.

* * *

><p>"Ah more assignments...sometimes I feel like an employee at my dad's company." Gii closed his eyes as he gently massaged the bridge of his nose. He sighed then looked at the stack of folders on the oak table.<p>

"The student council is swamped so they asked for our help. The sooner we get these things up to speed, the sooner we can all move past this." Akaike shrugged and continued making notes on the pad paper.

"Oh yeah...speaking of Student Council...was it Misu who asked the favor?"

"Uh huh.." Akaike nodded.

"I see. Was he alone in the Executive Room? Or was Ooji with him?" Gii continued.

Akaike took a momentary pause from writing and raised an eyebrow at Gii's question. Strange that he would bother even asking such a question but seeing no harm in it, he replied. "No. That freshman kid Shingyouji was with him."

"Ah, that guy. He's like some kind of puppy always following him around. You think Misu likes him?" Gii mused.

"I don't know and it's none of my business either. Besides, with that guy...it's hard to tell what's going through that head of his." Akaike replied but continued making his notes without looking up at Gii.

"I guess you're right. But speaking of liking someone. You remember what happened in the cafeteria the other day, right?"

This time Akaike looked at him. "Yeah...and your point is?" He figured Gii was up to something and was going to get him involved in it as well. Not that he minded very much but if there was anyone in this school who was most concerned of Suzuki's health and love life...it would have to be Gii. He had been pimping his friend to every candidate he thought was worthy of his attention and possibly affection. All of which have been declined by Suzuki who didn't show the least bit of interest..

"Maybe we should do something about it to bring them together. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. Just make it as subtle as possible. Like you know...we make up some opportunities so they can see each other around in school a lot. Something like that. Takeshi and Morita-kun should figure out what to do with the rest."

"Well, you can start by NOT pimping Takeshi with other guys then." Akaike smirked.

"Oh yeah..of course! None of that. Club Gii is now officially closed!" Gii laughed. Akaike merely shook his head.

* * *

><p>True to his word, Gii began to put his plan into action. He tapped into his own network of Shidou students to keep an eye on Takeshi and Morita. Making them meet at times or at least pass the same hallway. The library, the cafeteria, the school grounds, the dorm building, the lobby. He had to work as subtle as possible. He didn't want to arouse any suspicion from the two. Gii may have given up his role as pimp but he sure as hell was not gonna give up on the chance for his friend to find someone meaningful in his life. If there was something he was good at aside from the all the other things people deemed him as being an expert of, he was a natural-born strategist. He learned from the best. He wasn't the sole heir of a business empire for nothing.<p>

But there was also that side of Gii who would go the extra mile for a friend and Takeshi had been a good friend since their freshman days. Since day one, Takeshi was straightforward in his views. He was always his own person. He didn't hang around Gii for the superficial self-serving reasons like other people did. Takeshi was just Takeshi. No ifs and buts about it. Intelligent, analytical, reliable, witty, loyal and determined. If Akaike was his right hand man, Takeshi would definitely be his left. Takumi would be his heart. He smiled at the thought. Gii also knew time was running out and he needed to act fast. His recent trip to the States proved to be a crushing disappointment. He squeezed his eyes shut as if trying to block the conversation he had with the specialist regarding Suzuki's delicate health condition.


	5. Mere Coincidences?

Morita thought his heart was going to jump out his chest as he passed by Suzuki at the hallway towards the library. They were walking at opposite directions. He mustered up his courage to walk nonchalantly but he could feel his cheeks heating up so he simply bowed his head in recognition and kept his eyes on the floor. Had they made eye contact, he would be standing there frozen.

It was never Suzuki's style to walk with his eyes on the floor. His confidence would not allow it nor would his personality. It's just that Morita seemed to pop up at the oddest of times and before he could utter a word of greeting to the freshman, Morita would simply bow his head and keep walking away with his head low. How in the world was he supposed to react to that? It would have been suspicious if he followed him. _What if he was the only one feeling this way?_ He turned around and walked towards the stairs. Perhaps next time they pass by each other he hoped they would be able to strike a decent conversation.

It is at this moment, Morita takes a peek from the wall where he hid to catch a glimpse of Suzuki walking away. A happy smile etched on his lips. A feeling of contentment having seen him for the day. He thanked whatever gods there were to make such moments possible for them to meet even without an exchange of words. To Morita, these days were special. The more he saw him, the more his admiration grew. He wanted to know more and more about Suzuki Takeshi if only he wasn't consumed so much by his bouts of nervousness. He always felt tongue-tied whenever he saw him. What would he say? What if he was the only one feeling this way?

* * *

><p>Suzuki was feeling the stress of using only his left hand while he worked on his tasks in the science club room. So many thoughts came to mind as he looked outside the window. He needed to make his current light refraction experiment work. He intended to make this his legacy to the Science club. He examined his right hand and tried to move his fingers, seeing that they did not respond and only hurt, he stopped.<p>

Gii had told him about what happened to his consultation with specialists in the States. He could not bear to watch the deep regret in Gii's eyes that time. He has never seen his friend so afraid and unsure for as long as he's known him. Gii felt like he had deeply failed his friend and himself. The prognosis was grim. He tried to forget how his parents sounded on the phone during his last conversation with them the other evening. He was going to delay the inevitable as long as he can. Gii and Shozo were very aware of the non-mobility of his hand. He had been advised by his doctor to report the slightest symptoms but he made his two friends swore not to tell anyone. He was determined to see this through. He still had one good hand. He could still do many things while he still can. He was not going to give up too easily.

He looked at the references he had on his table and noticed he was missing a book he needed to complete his experiment.

* * *

><p>Morita had again declined another club invitation from his classmate. Ever since he arrived Shidou, the students have been very enthusiastic to invite him to club activities. If there was a mystery book club or a library club invitation, he would have said yes in a heartbeat. But there were no such clubs in existence in Shidou much to his dismay. The library had been his source of peace and here with the wealth of mystery books it provided, he felt right with the world again. He found his book and settled on the long oak table and turned to a page that he bookmarked earlier.<p>

Time seemed to have passed and Morita was deeply immersed in his book when he felt a sudden presence that made him look up. And there stood Suzuki on a stool reaching for a book on the shelf. A smile came to Morita's face. Another chance of seeing him again, he thought happily. He thanked again whatever gods that made him decide to stay in the library at this very moment to catch a sight of the young man. He noticed that he was browsing the bookshelves with his left hand while the other hand remained in his pocket. He didn't know what was the deal with that but he thought it best not to pry too deeply. What made him mad with curiosity was what kind of book did Suzuki borrow from the library. He made a mental note to find out about it later.

Truth be told Morita was actually anxious to talk to him. But for the life of him he was tongue-tied whenever the other boy appeared. To calm his anxiety, he did his own research to find out certain details about Suzuki Takeshi and it made him even more curious than ever. He wanted to know more. To him, he was like a mystery but he was not sure yet if he wanted to solve or continue being fascinated with. He found out he kept company with one of the most respected and most popular students of Shidou namely Saki Giichi, Akaike Shozo, Hayama Takumi and Takabayashi Izumi. What would it take to be part of such a tight group if only to get close to Suzuki? But he realized it was going to be hurdle since he was still a freshman and a transferee at that.

It seemed Suzuki was taking his sweet time browsing at the book shelves. He already found the book he needed. He recalled that feeling of utter surprise finding Morita in the library as he entered. Perhaps saying a few words to him would be nice but seeing how immersed he was in his book, he doubted if the other boy even noticed his presence. It would have been rude of him to disturb his reading. Yet a sense of warmth enveloped him having seen Morita again. That was all the mattered for now. He really should be able to talk to him next time but he had a task waiting for him in the science club room that needed his attention. He reluctantly stepped down the stool and walked away to find the librarian. The book he held in his hand was Fractale.

* * *

><p>Morita inhaled the crisp breezy air as he relaxed by the bench calmly watching the window across him. Suzuki was like clockwork and it didn't take much effort for Morita to find out the time he would be at the science club room. He chuckled at the thought of him being some kind of stalker but he knew he was far from it. He did sense there were some students who were quite helpful with him whenever he made some inquiries about the sophomore. When he found out Suzuki was the science club president, he could not quell the excitement in his heart. Now here he was several meters away enjoying the quiet surrounding while adjusting his vision as rays of colored light shone reflected across the windows. He gently ran his fingers over the red book on his lap. Fractale.<p>

Speaking of helpful students, Hayama-senpai had been one of them. If it wasn't for him, he would not have been able to find this book. Yet he felt rather curious at his senpai's seemingly odd behavior these past few days. There had been several times he had been approached by Hayama-senpai and at each time he looked like he was going to tell him something only to stop himself. He wondered if he had said something to offend him but their earlier exchange ended abruptly when he admitted he felt a bit envious that he got to be friends with such great people. But he did mean it. How he wished he could see Suzuki as casually as they could.


	6. Misunderstood

Akaike rubbed his temple and sighed. He understood Gii's predicament more than anyone. They have not been friends for nothing after all. But there were those days that he wanted to whack his friend's head so hard just to make him realize what he's doing. _Thank God, I'm not involved with anyone yet so I don't get myself in this kind of mess.  
><em>"Damn it. Takumi thinks I am interested in Morita-kun." Gii's voice was heavy with annoyance.

"Then why won't you just tell him the truth so he won't get confused like this? I know you mean well but your methods are sometimes...I dunno...desperately smart."

"Desperately smart? What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Gii looked at him irritatedly.

"I was just being nice. I would call you an idiot but I know that's not what you wanna hear right now. Look, I'm not gonna meddle your affairs with Hayama. But he does have a right to know what your plans are regarding Takeshi and Morita-kun."

"I just don't want to burden him with these things. I know how sensitive he can be. Besides, I thought it would be nice if he could be friends with Morita-kun too. But with the way things turned out, looks like that's not happening." Gii leaned backwards on the leather couch.

"Well, I'm more worried about Takeshi. I've consulted my parents about it but even they are fearful about the prognosis. All I can do is do whatever I can to help him. Being his roommate was actually a good thing. I can't believe he'll be leaving us so soon." The normally unflappable Akaike looked away. Gii could see the unsteadiness in his eyes. The worry forming on his forehead. The way he was grinding his teeth, a habit he did whenever he was very anxious about something.

The two friends shared an uneasy silence between them. They have tried everything they could and hoping within hope that through their efforts some form of miracle will overturn Takeshi's fate. But right now all they could do was pray and support each other at this trying time. Make the party Gii planned to be the best experience for their friend and Morita. Time was running out. Everything else can wait. Even Takumi.

* * *

><p>Gii chose to keep his mouth shut after Takumi's outburst. There was no point in arguing about it really since there was no basis to what his boyfriend was suspecting him of. He sighed as he watched his lover pull up the covers over his head. Yeah, he was definitely sulking again. It was not like Gii was hiding the truth from him, more like he just did not want to burden him with the painful reality of Suzuki's condition at least not yet anyway. He realized how much the blissful ignorance Takumi had was the one thing that still somehow put his mind at ease. The longer Takumi did not know then he would not see his lover looking so tragic in his eyes. He was very aware how sensitive he could be and especially right now. But it was enough only he and Shozo knew about Suzuki. It was what he had wanted it to be. He was also fully aware that Takumi still had not invited Morita to the party as he had requested him to do. He could not risk any more delays. From the moment he saw Takeshi using only one hand to do things, he knew there wasn't much time left to waste. Time was of the essence.<p>

_If you want something done, it is best to do it yourself. _ And with that thought, Gii stood up from his bed and quietly left the room.

* * *

><p>Morita was yawning and about to get ready to bed after he carefully bookmarked his new favorite book, Fractale. He hears a knock on the door and wondered who could it be. It was strange to have a visitor at this time so he suspected it would be a classmate reminding him of some assignment he needed to do for the weekend.<p>

But what greeted him as he opened the door nearly took his breath away. For there standing was a smiling Saki Giichi. He looked so different without his uniform coat on. He wondered what god had this time brought the great Saki Giichi of all people in Shidou High to knock on his door at this time of night. Morita swallowed, his eyes wide and he thought he must have looked like a complete doofus at this very moment.

"Morita-kun?" Gii smiled. His eyes seemed to sparkle, Morita thought. _Why did things seem to be much cooler whenever Gii-senpai was around? _

"Hai." He nodded. He felt his cheeks beginning to burn. Being this close to Gii-senpai, he could observe how gorgeous the man actually is. Saki Giichi is definitely Shidou High's superstar idol. _Now I see why my classmates are fussing about him so much. _The closest he ever got to him was whenever he happened to pass by the corridors or the hallway and the occasional visit to the cafeteria. He was rarely alone. He was always surrounded by people. And so all he could do was bow his head courteously at his presence and Gii would walk past him nonchalantly like he always did.

"I'm inviting you to my private Halloween party happening tomorrow. You don't have to come in costume or anything. Just come as you are. Don't bother with gifts either. Everything's all set. I'll see you at the mini theater at around 11:00AM. You got that?"

"Hai." Morita nodded happily.

"Oyasumi, Morita-kun."

"Good night, Gii-senpai." He bowed and closed the door.

_Oh crap! What just happened? That was a true blue authentic party invitation and not just ANY kind of party..a PRIVATE party at that, hosted by Gii-senpai. The Saki Giichi himself! Shimatta! I forgot to thank him! Morita Toru, you IDIOT!_

After reality has finally sunk in for Morita but by the time he opened the door again, Gii had already gone. He quietly closed the door and slid on the floor. _Oh my god...will Suzuki-san be there too? _With that thought, Morita covered his face. He had never been to a private party before, much less a Halloween one. The only parties he ever attended where those from family. New Year and birthdays. This is going to be a big deal for sure. One he will never ever forget. _I hope he comes to this party. No way he would miss something like this, right? _


	7. First Love

"Hey guys! What do you think?" Takabayashi walked into the mini theater and pranced with the brightest orange cape and plastic Pumpkin hat.

Shozo merely shook his head in amusement at Takabayashi's antics. Gii chuckled knowing the atmosphere was going to be cheery for all of them. He examined his watch, it was a quarter to 11:00 AM. The four of them have laid out all the food and drinks even the decoration on the wall. He and Takumi still had not been able to talk properly since last night but they managed to work together for the party. He had excused himself and promised to return much later. Gii understood his lover needed some time to be alone to think things over. He just hoped he didn't take too long.

Ten minutes later, a nervous but smiling Morita arrived and Gii greeted him. "Ah! Morita-kun! Glad you could join us."

"Gii-senpai...I hope I'm just on time." Morita bowed as Gii put his arm around his shoulder as they approached Takabayashi and Akaike who were sitting by the table and poking at the snacks.

"Your timing's perfect. Now I want you to sit right here. Well, I'm sure you already know my friend Shozo of the disciplinary committee." Gii pulled up a seat and gestured for Morita to sit on.

"Tsk..I feel like an old man when you introduce me like that, Gii. I'm glad you could join us, Morita-kun." He extended his hand and they shared a handshake.

"This one here is Takabayashi Izumi of the astrology club." Akaike pointed at their friend and grinned.

"ASTRONOMY! GODS! Don't listen to him, Morita-kun." Takabayashi readily shook Morita's hand. "You're a cute one, huh! Good job, Gii!" Takabayashi gave Gii a thumbs up.

"Shut up, you!" Gii chuckled.

Morita blushed red and began to stammer a response. "Ah..anou...I'm not cute. I'm honored to meet you too, Takabayashi-senpai." He bowed before taking a seat.

"Ah! No need to be so formal around here. We're happy we have a cute freshman in our little party here. So relax, ne?" Takabayashi patted his back.

"Ah hai...arigatou gozaimasu." Morita smiled at everyone. A few minutes passed and Takeshi arrived. Upon hearing his voice, Morita felt his heartbeat quicken. _He made it! He really made it. _He pursed his lips. His eyes following him as Gii pointed him to sit right beside him. Morita smiled and he hoped the others didn't notice he was staring at him the whole time.

"Now two of our most important guests are here. I'm sure you two have met before." Gii gave them a wink and patted their shoulders. _Finally, I got both of you together close like this. _He felt a little proud of himself now. They both looked really happy to see each other and he did notice the way Morita watched Takeshi when he arrived. That unmistakable excitement in his eyes. _This is going to be one very successful party for sure...now all that's missing is my Takumi. I hope he's okay._

"Morita-kun...it's nice to meet you here." Suzuki smiled raking in every detail of the boy beside him. _He really is cute even up close_. _Thanks to Gii we got this chance to be together finally. _

"Yes, me too. It's so good to meet you again...anou...I mean to be here. Sorry!" Morita was nervous. _Damn...was I too obvious? Please don't think I'm weird! _

Takeshi chuckled. "Relax. This is supposed to be a party. I know you're nervous 'cause you're surrounded by these crazy guys especially Takabayashi."

"Awww...come on Suzuki-kun...don't scare our cute kohai here. Don't mind him, Morita-kun. Underneath all that seriousness, he's really a kitty cat." Takabayashi winked at Morita while he opened the box of Belgian chocolates.

"Who you calling a kitty cat?" Suzuki poked him at the shoulder yet his eyes looked hungrily at the chocolates.

"Well, you look like a cat especially when you laugh, that's why. You should end your sentences in 'nyan'." Takabayashi made a moe neko pose and began to paw Suzuki's shoulders.

"He's a nut case. Forgive him, Morita-kun." They all laughed.

The party proved to be a success. Morita was able to relax and chatting with everyone. Suzuki and him were making light conversations although there was still a hint of awkwardness between them. The more Gii saw them together, the more he is convinced Morita is definitely the right person for his friend. If only the freshman knew how important his presence means on this occasion. Much to Gii's relief, Takumi finally joined them at the party after having disappeared for a while. He could see that his lover was still not comfortable with Morita's presence but he decided he can deal with that later. But he hadn't expected that later had come too soon when Takumi abruptly ended his violin performance in front of everyone and quickly ran out of the mini theater prompting Gii to chase after him.

The mood in the theater only changed momentarily as Morita observed. Akaike only raised an eyebrow but continued munching on the bag of potato chips. Takabayashi was still lively as ever as he poured another glass of grape juice for himself. As for Suzuki, he watched him take another bite into the Belgian chocolate. _Why did Hayama-senpai just run off like that and everyone seem to be behaving like it was no big deal? Oh crap...I hope I didn't do anything wrong...but what could I have done anyway? Hmmmm...but I did notice Hayama-san glaring at me earlier. Man...this is driving me nuts. _

Since there was no telling when the couple would return to the party thus Takabayashi and Shozo decided to see what Gii and Takumi were up to. What Morita and Suzuki did not know was it was merely a ruse. The real reason was actually to give them privacy to get to know each other more.

* * *

><p>Since their friends showed no signs of returning to the party anytime soon, after clearing up a bit of the mess on the table, the pair decided to go outside for a change of scenery. Together they walked under the tunnel. Stealing glances at each other. The quiet excitement in their eyes and the smile etched vividly on their lips.<p>

Finally alone with Morita, Suzuki felt a rising sense of fervor in his heart. Something he has never ever felt before. He has lived a life where everyone had to be careful around him and it was difficult to form any strong relationships that went beyond family. It was only in Shidou he has come to find really good friends like Gii and Shozo, they're the kind of friends who did not patronize him or cuddled him. For the first time in such a long time, he felt that independence he craved. But being with Morita now, spending time with him like this was more than he could ever ask for. This is unexpected. This is special. How he wished they had met a long time ago. The more they talked, the more his attraction grew. Morita is intelligent, engaging, intuitive, cheerful and friendly. His gentle eyes and the shy smile he would make every now and then in his direction amused him that he could be the source of such a reaction from someone. Being around the freshman like this made him really happy. It didn't matter anymore that this was going to be the last day he was going to be in Shidou. He would be damned if he didn't take this chance to get to know more about Morita.

Morita could not quell the sheer excitement and delight in his heart as they walked together around the school. There was something about Suzuki that intrigued him from the moment he saw him for the first time and that fascination grew much more as he listened intently to Suzuki's stories, his passion for Science and some anecdotes about his life in general. He was eloquent, good-natured, respectable, engaging and very intelligent. The nervousness they shared earlier was slowly ebbing away and there was nothing more that Morita wanted but to spend more with him. Learning more about the man that touched his heart. He was looking forward to spending more time with Suzuki everyday in Shidou. Time seemed to fly by without them noticing as Suzuki was feeling tired from walking around the school grounds and decided to invite him to the science club room much to Morita's anticipation. There he saw the gleam of pride that was on Suzuki's face and the tone of his voice as he talked about the activities and experiments and discoveries the club has made. The more he listened, the more he felt even more convinced he should have joined the club the first time.

* * *

><p>"I have a confession to make. I used to watch you right there by the bench. I would look up and see the rainbow-colored light reflecting through these glass windows. They looked very beautiful." Morita poked at the glass window. His eyes glowing with thoughtful remembrance.<p>

"I know." Suzuki nodded and smiled.

"Eh? You do? Uh...ahm...wow. This is embarrassing. I mean how did you know?" Morita looked mortified.

"What do you think that telescope over there is for?" Suzuki pointed at the telescope behind Morita making the boy cover his face in utter embarrassment.

"Anyway, there's something I want to give you." Suzuki opened the drawer and took out two pieces of films. "This here...when you hold it up to the sun and use this other film over it, it will refract rainbow-colored lights on anywhere you direct it to."

"Just like the ones I used to see when I would sit outside by the bench." Morita smiled as Suzuki handed him the films.

"You know what's happening, right?" Suzuki rested his temple on his knuckles. His eyes wandering sideways towards the window. The soft glow of the late afternoon sun shining on his face.

Morita gazed at Takeshi's reflection on the glass window and nodded. There was never a doubt in his mind what was happening between them. A strong sense of warmth came over him. _Yes, I know what's happening between us._ All it took was one look at that precise moment they did not expect. He may have been tongue-tied whenever Suzuki appeared in his midst giving him the shiver of excitement in his heart. But now being here in this room with him, he did not feel the trepidation any longer. It all felt right. It's like it just all made sense. Everything just came into place.

"People call it chemistry. Some call it gravity. There are some who say it's magnetic." Suzuki turned his eyes towards Morita. Each statement punctuated with him coming closer towards him.

"And some say it's a mystery." Morita smiled as he felt Suzuki behind him now. He turned around to face him. Suzuki's fingers touch his cheek. His thumb carefully moving from his chin and outlining his lower lip.

"I have never met anyone quite like you." Suzuki's voice was gentle. "And I don't think I ever will again." He smiled sadly.

"Neither will I." Morita replied.

"I wish there was a way I can freeze this moment." Suzuki's face was a few inches away from Morita now.

"You're talking like you're saying goodbye." Morita murmured. Their noses touching now.

"Morita...I want you to remember me like this. I need you to keep this memory for us."

"Suzuki-san..." But before Morita could utter another word, he feels Suzuki's lips against his silencing whatever doubts, questions or confusion he might have had a few moments ago. Their eyes now closed as they both melted into a soft kiss gently teasing each other's taste. Morita intertwines his fingers with Suzuki's as they rake though his hair. Pulling his head closer as the kiss began to slowly deepen, neither of them wanting to let go.

Time seemed to have passed between them. Suzuki reluctantly ended the kiss and smiled as he watched Morita's eyes still closed and slowly open realizing the kiss has already ended.

"Is this your first kiss?" Suzuki licked his lips. His eyes watching Morita's reaction.

"Yes." Morita nodded as he tries to hide his cheeks beginning to redden.

"I'm glad." Suzuki smiled warmly as his gently lifted Morita's chin.

"Me too." Morita nodded and moved closer to lean his head on Suzuki's shoulder.

"It's getting late." The sun was setting as Suzuki observed from the glass window where they stood.

"I want to see you again." Morita closed his eyes as he inhaled Suzuki's faint cologne on his shoulder. His arms around Suzuki's waist getting a little tighter.

Suzuki was grateful that Morita didn't get to see the deep regret etched in his eyes. _What a cruel joke this is. _For the first time in his life, he felt this good about someone only to leave him forever. His good arm held Morita closer to him as if to convey how much he felt for him. He felt Morita's arms encircle tightly around his waist. He could smell the fresh fragrance of the shampoo on his hair. He closed his eyes as he stored every bit of memory of Morita so close to him like this.

"I would like that very much." It was all Suzuki could say so Morita could not feel how much his heart was breaking.


	8. The Promise

It seemed like a million thoughts clouded Morita's mind as he walked towards the hospital where Suzuki was admitted. He remembered the terrible shock he had when the teacher announced that the president of the science club Suzuki Takeshi had to quit school because of a serious medical condition. He could barely pay any attention in class as his mind was filled with memories of Suzuki. _Was he saying goodbye this whole time? _Morita shook his head as if to fight off such morbid thoughts. Right now he felt very lucky to have been chosen to represent the freshman year to visit Suzuki. He clutched the bouquet of flowers close to his chest and smelled its fresh fragrance. _Suzuki-san will love these for sure. _

He felt his heart leap as he entered the premises of the building. His excitement was growing as he walked along the hallway and spotting Suzuki's room. Yet as his hand touched the doorknob, he found himself unable to open it. _What prompted him to hesitate to find out what lay before him inside this room? But didn't Suzuki-san say that he would like it very much if they saw each other again? He remembered those words clearly as they held each other that time in the science club room. He couldn't have been wrong. _But his hand would not turn the doorknob to open. A sudden fear came over him. _Would Suzuki-san want to see me? What would he say? _He retrieved his hand and held onto the flowers in his arm. He took one last look at the door before him then turned and walked away across the hall.

He asked the front desk where the men's room was located. He washed his face. His nose flared and sucked in his breath sharply as he tried to fight off the impending tears that were threatening to flow. He gazed at his reflection on the mirror and quickly slapped his cheeks. _No. I won't cry. I won't. I didn't come this far not to see you. I still want to see you. I have to see you, Suzuki-san. _

He grabbed the flowers and left the men's room. He needed time to collect his thoughts but the solitude and stillness of the hospital lobby only made him more depressed. He needed to go out and breathe some air. One of the hospital staff directed him to a mini Zen garden at the top floor.

Now surrounded by the kind of peace he sought, he felt his mind at ease. He walked towards the balcony and looking down from where he stood he spotted two boys dressed in the same blue jackets walking away from the building. He could not tell who they were exactly but he was not surprised that Suzuki-san had visitors from Shidou.

Just as he was about to take a seat, he noticed a woman sitting on a bench at the corner staring at the mini man-made pond. Her eyes were undeniably sad. She looked like she had been crying for days. A sudden urge to comfort her overwhelmed Morita. He also missed his mother in Australia. He wished she was nearby and perhaps he could feel a little better.

"Anou...I'm sorry to bother you but I could not help but notice how sad you look. If you prefer to be alone, I can leave." Morita approached the woman. A faint smile curved in the woman's lips upon hearing Morita's gentle voice. _What a sweet boy this is. _

"Those are lovely flowers." The woman replied and gestured for him to take a seat beside her on the wooden bench.

Morita smiled and nodded, relieved that the woman did not get annoyed by his presence. "Yes they are. I hope my friend will like it when he sees them. I'm just a little scared to see him right now."

"So you came all the way up here to gather some courage. Is that it?" The woman smiled again.

"I guess so. But I don't want my visit to be waste since I'm representing my class."

"What school are you attending?" The woman leaned her head on her hand.

"Shidou High Academy. I'm a freshman student."

"Oh, how lovely. I have a son who goes to school there too."

"Really? May I know his name? I might have met him too."

The woman shook her head sadly and smiled. "He's a sophomore. He had to quit school. His condition is now complicated and that's why he's here."

Morita's eyes rounded. He could not believe that the woman he was talking to was Suzuki's mother. There was only one sophomore in Shidou that quit school that he was aware of. He felt his heart beating faster. Here he was trying to weigh the odds of whether he should show up at Suzuki's room or not only to find himself talking with his mother of all people. Only one name appeared in his mind. "Suzuki Takeshi." Morita uttered his name to the woman's surprise.

"How did you...? Yes, he's my son. Are you by any chance Morita Toru? My son mentioned he has a friend who's a freshman in Shidou by that name."

Morita hung his head low. The tears he had been trying to keep at bay were now flowing as he wiped them away with his hand. He did not want Suzuki's mother to see his face.

"I'm so glad you came, Morita-kun. My son has told me so much about you." Despite her tear-swollen eyes, Suzuki's mother smiled happily and gently patted him on the back.

* * *

><p>"Takeshi, look what I found in the garden." Suzuki's mother greeted her son as she opened the door.<p>

"Ma, I wish you'd stop sneaking and snatching plants from parks. You and Papa are really the same." Suzuki playfully chastised his mother. He wanted to sound cheerful even though it was obvious enough they were both trying to sound upbeat despite the seriousness of his condition.

"Oh come on...I'm sure you'll agree with this one." She winked and gestured for Morita to enter the door of the suite.

"Suzuki-san..." Morita smiled as he walked inside with the large bouquet of flowers in his arms. Suzuki's blinked in surprise. Not a word came out of his mouth. _What was he supposed to say? _A part of him was so happy to see him again and at the same time he felt embarrassed that Morita sees him in such a weakened state.

"Hmmm...go take a seat over there, Morita-kun. Let me take care of these lovely flowers. I'll see if I can find a nice vase for this outside." She took them from his arms and carefully laid the flowers by the table and left the room.

"Hey..." Morita approached and pulled the chair closer to the bed.

"Hey.." Came Suzuki's reply. A gentle smile on his face as feelings of comfort overcame him upon seeing Morita.

Morita gazed at him. His eyes longing yet sweet. There was still puffiness in his eyes, a sure sign that he has been crying earlier. Yet there was twinkle in the tone of his voice. He too was feeling very comforted seeing Suzuki again.

"I'm so glad to see you." Suzuki smiled at the soft spoken Morita.

Morita bit his lower lip. His eyes shyly moving from the bed to Suzuki's face. "I was actually kind of worried whether you wanted me to see you."

"Why would you think that?" Suzuki frowned, obviously confused at the statement.

"Well, you never told me anything about your condition when we were together so I thought this was something you didn't want to share with me. Maybe you'd get mad that I just showed up here." Morita looked at him. The pain in his tone may be subtle yet it reflected heavily in his eyes. There was a slight measure of hurt, sadness and quiet desperation. "But your mom told me everything I needed to know about your condition."

"Come closer, Morita." Suzuki gestured weakly for him to approach the bed prompting the younger boy to stand from his chair and lean closer to Suzuki's side.

"You think I wouldn't be this happy if I didn't want you to be here?"

Morita shook his head slowly. "I guess not." A shy smile forming in his lips. His fingers reaching for Suzuki. He feels Suzuki's fingers clasping his. He responded by gently rubbing his fingers.

"I miss you."

"So do I." Suzuki calmly replied. "That time we were together, all I wanted was to just see you and forget everything else. For the first time in a long time I have never been so happy in my life until the day I first saw you at the phone booth that evening. I told myself no way was I gonna remind myself how little time we have left. I wanted to see you smile. Not like this. Not the tears. I wanted so badly to smile too. It was never my intention to deceive you. And I'm sorry if you felt that way. But you do understand me, don't you?" Suzuki's voice was shaky yet firm. To Morita he was fighting a losing battle as he failed yet again to keep his tears at bay. He nodded his head while trying to rub his tears from his eyes.

"Oh god, what am I going to do with you, Suzuki-san?" His chuckles were accompanied by a pained tone in his voice. _Why? Why did it have to be this way? Why can't we just be together longer, much, much longer? Why now? Please don't leave me like this, Suzuki-san. _

Suzuki reaches out to hold his hand that was trying to rub off the tears from his face. Morita felt a bit startled with the gesture but he felt that hand slowly pulling his head lower. Lower. He could hear Suzuki whisper.

"Kiss me."

It took only for a second when Morita' blinked in surprise at such a sweet yet daring request from Suzuki. As their lips touched, he felt a brand new sensation melding with the memory of their first kiss shared. This was more earnest. Even sweeter. He could feel Suzuki's tongue tip reaching his and he was already weak to deny him. _So this is what a deep kiss feels like. _His eyes were squeezed shut as if trying to store every bit of information in his mind. His heart beating wildly as he relished the kiss. It took him every ounce of self-control not to climb the bed and just straddle Suzuki.

"It's not enough. Not enough..." Morita softly whined as their lips parted making Suzuki plant small kisses around his lips, amused listening to Morita's voice. The younger boy licked his lips. He was so overcome with emotions that the tears began to flow again. He nestled his head on the curve of Suzuki's shoulder and neck. He inhaled the scent of antiseptic aroma from the pillow. He squeezed his eyes shut to block off the reality of being in a hospital room and just focused on the sensations of the kiss they shared and the warm, breathing and very alive Suzuki patting his head.

"Morita...I need you to promise me something."

"Anything..what is it?" Morita mumbled not bothering to raise his head from his current position so he could look at Suzuki properly. He feared what he might see in those eyes.

"Promise me that you won't attend my funeral. I don't want my face on a large picture frame will be the last thing you will ever see of me. I want you to remember me just like this. Talking to you now. Kissing you. Holding you now while I still I can. These are mine to give while I'm still here. It's more meaningful this way. Can you promise me that, Morita?"

Morita nodded and sniffed. "I promise." He whispered.

"I'm feeling rather envious of anybody who can see you everyday. I can't have you all to myself." Suzuki chuckled.

"Don't you dare say that!" Morita lifted his head. His brow furrowed. His voice shaky. His eyes wet from tears. "I'm all yours. I'm here. I don't wanna be anywhere else. I wanna see you everyday. I don't wanna go back...Suzuki-san...please."

Suzuki's tears ran down his cheeks continuously. The desperation and longing in Morita's voice rang in his ears. For the first time in his life, he felt being loved so differently and devotedly by someone other than his parents. He smiled at the thought he could die happy now knowing just that and being able to experience such love from a person. There was no doubt in his mind that Morita is definitely his one true love. He will never ever find another one like him in this lifetime. He had been very fortunate to have been given such a chance. He was not going to leave this world lonely as he imagined.

"Morita...hey...it's gonna be fine. You don't have to come here everyday. This place is a long way from Shidou. I'm sure the school won't allow it either. You're gonna make a lot of people worry about you. I'm one of them. And with the way we are now, I'm sure you will try to stay late here with me. I'm alright now. You're here with me now."

"Well..would it be okay if I call you on the cell phone? My mom sent me one so she could call me easier than having to wait for my turn at the phone booth."

"Aha! So that's why I didn't see you there anymore." Suzuki raised an eyebrow.

"Eh? You mean...you looked for me there?" Morita's looked at him surprised.

"Yeah..every night." Suzuki poked him in the nose.

A large smile now showed on Morita's face. _Suzuki-san really looked for me. I wasn't the only one feeling the same way after all. We both fell for each other at first sight. Oh my god. Wow. _

"Hmmmm...I guess it's alright. I don't own one though. You could get my mom's number."

"Already did!" Morita grinned as he showed Suzuki the number saved on his phone book making Suzuki laugh. "You really love me, Suzuki-san."

"Of course, I do, silly." Suzuki chuckled and ruffled his hair.

Morita's eyes turned misty again and he rested his head beside Suzuki and reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. "I love you, Suzuki Takeshi. I always will." He uttered tenderly.


	9. My Morita

The sun was about to set. A sombre mood seemed to have enveloped the entire Shidou Academy since the student Suzuki Takeshi succumbed to his long-time battle with his rare bone disease. The funeral was held at his residence. Shidou High Academy officials announced a special day for some of the school staff as well as its students show their respects. The entire science club organized to purchase a large bouquet of Magnolias since it was a favorite of Takeshi. His best buddies also attended the entire funeral ceremony. Gii acted in behalf of the family as an older brother since Takeshi was an only child and had very few relatives who could take the role. He made sure that the funeral arrangements were made to the point. His family also gave the largest funeral gift contribution having been made aware of the large expenses that has incurred from his friend's hospitalization bills. Gii wanted to put the grieving parents at any kind of ease after losing their only son. He could only imagine the pain they are going through having to live with a son whose days on this Earth have already been numbered from the time he was a young child when the tragic diagnosis was made. It was a blessing that Akaike Shozo had also been doing his part to help him. As friends, together they tried to put up a strong stance amidst the outpour of emotions that was heavily felt around them. Takumi who was also one of the attendees did not stay too long during the wake. Funerals always made him uncomfortable. The death of his brother would make disturbing flashbacks in his mind. But during a private gathering of Shidou students that was held in the school in honor of Takeshi two days after the funeral, he volunteered to play the violin for everyone. A piece he knew too well was the science club president's favorite.

Thoughts leading back to that fated phone call made to Takeshi's mother were painfully returning to Morita's mind. It was supposed to be just another routine early morning call to greet Suzuki a cheery ohayo before he started another day in Shidou. He loved listening to his lover's voice on the phone even if it was just for a few minutes. And then they would talk a little bit more in the evening after supper time. They were both looking forward to the weekend that they would meet again. This was not meant to be. Before that day could come, Morita had frantically abandoned all manner of school decorum and rushed to the hospital that very minute. All he had was his wallet and the two pieces of film in his pocket, a special gift from his beloved. The promise he made to him about not attending the funeral actually also extended to not making an appearance on his deathbed. It was Suzuki's way of shielding him from ever seeing him in that manner. He only wanted to leave a strong memory of him being alive in his mind. The only way Morita could convey his loving presence for the last time was through the films and flashing the rainbow-colored hues in Suzuki's room. Not even the cloudy skies would deter the freshman's determination to send his message and when it finally did, an overwhelming sense of relief and sadness came over him.

Despite such noble intentions, his compulsive act violated Shidou High Academy's strict school guidelines regarding runaway students. His deep embarrassment and regret upon his mother's sudden appearance and having to make such a trip all the way from Australia to Shidou. Unexpectedly, it was his mother's comfort and understanding that still kept his sanity intact despite hanging on a thin thread. The loss of his first love was killing him slowly and deeply. To his mother, there was nothing to forgive her son for. She understood the connection between them as Morita shared stories of Takeshi during their conversations on the phone. And just like her son, she did not care having to lose time away from her work and come so far for the sake of love and this was her love for her only son, Morita Toru. The only living remembrance she holds precious from her late husband.

Morita Toru was given an in-school suspension that was to last for two weeks. An expulsion was initially considered but weighing the reasons for his disappearance and strong testimonies taken from concerned students of high academic standing namely Gii, Akaike and Takabayashi, the two-week suspension was put into effect. He was granted a few days with his mother who requested to spend some time with him before she headed back to Australia. Their already close relationship has grown closer from the recent loss. They both bade goodbye at the airport with tears and smiles in their faces. Mother and son have always been affectionate with each other.

The parting was bittersweet but Morita had been assured a plane ticket bound for Australia where he can spend his summer vacation soon. He was looking forward to it very much with the sincere hope he could rid of the heartache he is experiencing. His suspension status did not make him an outcast in school. In fact the science club members expressed their sympathy and have started to befriend him. They even invited him to become a member after he serves his sentence. He was still not sure whether to accept their offer or not. Everything was still too much to handle to make a decision.

He felt the slight chilly air as he watched the sun slowly setting in the horizon. His eyes slightly puffy from the previous night he spent in tears. Sleep have become elusive to him. He wound up sitting in bed praying for sleep to come to him before daylight. Sometimes he had dreams of Suzuki when sleep managed to reach him. He pursed his lips and breathed the air around him. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them again. His mind imagining that the windows high above the building facing his direction would reflect the rainbow-colored hues telling him that Suzuki-san was busy working with a science project. But there would be no more light coming through those glass windows. No rainbow-colored hues. It remained dark and quiet as it had been since the funeral service.

"Morita-kun?"

The freshman was jolted out of his reverie from the sudden presence before him. One he had not expected at all.

"Gii-senpai..." He was about to stand up but Gii quickly gestured for him to remain on the wooden bench. The sophomore took his seat beside him. Morita could see the fatigue in the man's eyes. His handsome features marred by his sullen mood. It was clear that Gii has been deeply affected losing one of his closest friends.

"How are you holding up, Morita-kun?" Gii looked at him with concern.

"I'm okay. I would like to express my deep gratitude to you for speaking on my behalf at the disciplinary meeting. This goes to Akaike-senpai and Takabayashi-senpai as well. Thank you so much." He gave a slight bow.

"Don't mention it. We understand why you did it. I actually commend you for it. You're very brave. You did not hold back and just took off like that despite the consequences. I wished I had done the same." Gii sadly looked away.

"Suzuki-san would mention about you during our conversations. He had nothing but great things to say. He said one of the best things that's happened to him in Shidou was being friends with you and Akaike-senpai."

Morita's attempt at trying to comfort his weary companion only seemed to make him sadder. Gii's nose flared and his jaw tightly clenched as he tried to keep his emotions in check. His voice coming off a bit shaky.

"I miss him. He was such a cool guy. Takeshi was always his own person and a great friend. They don't make people like that anymore." Gii sniffed yet there was now a slight tone of happiness in his voice. "Other than Shozo, I was the one he confided his illness. We would talk about lots of other things but he sure did a fine job keeping you to himself."

"Really?" Morita was clearly surprised with Gii's confession.

"Yeah. Though I did suspect that he seemed to like you when we all met at the cafeteria back then. But I had no idea how serious he was about you until after the Halloween party. To me I thought it was going to be a good time to hang out and chat. But when I saw the way he looked at you that time, it became clear as day to me." Now a smile showed in Gii's handsome face as he reflected thoughtfully.

"I'll never meet anyone quite like him again." Morita mused.

"We can be grateful that we have been given the chance to have been part of his life as he was to ours." Gii added.

Morita only nodded in reply. He closed his eyes again as he savored the comfort of those words. Many years may come but he knows in his heart he will never ever love this way again. No one can ever come close to the man who has touched his heart in ways he had never known possible. He could say that his first love was most special and requited. The happiness of being loved by someone you love. Nothing came close to that feeling. The sense of completion it gave would remain in his mind and heart for as long as he lived.

Gii watched the sweet expression on Morita's face and he smiled. His fingers reached deep into his pants pocket and took out a piece of a neatly folded paper. He handed it to Morita.

"Takeshi's mom was hoping to see you at the funeral but since you didn't show up, she entrusted this to me to hand it to you."

Morita gazed at the folded paper. His fingers showed a slight tremor as he held onto it. "I'm so sorry I was not there at the funeral. Suzuki-san made me promise not to go. Even that day I ran away. He didn't want me to be around his deathbed either. I was so close to breaking my promise to him. I wanted to open the door to his room and just rush in. He insisted that the only memories I will have of him is being alive. It was killing me not to see him one last time but how could I deny him his last request?"

Gii watched as fresh tears began to flow in Morita's eyes. He moved closer and wrapped his arm around his shoulder to give him a strong squeeze. The younger man covered his face with his hand. To Gii as he listened patiently to the sobbing Morita, he felt a sense of peace in his heart. The realization that even without his efforts, Takeshi and Morita would have found each other in this lifetime. Knowing how much they loved each other till the very end eased his pain.

"There is no need for you to apologize. Thank you for loving him that much. For making him happy beyond words. You gave him something that no one could. I'm glad you came into his life. We all do. You take care, Morita-kun. I'll see you around."

Gii slowly eased his grip and stood up to leave the wooden bench. But just as he was about to walk away, Morita quickly stood up from behind him and called him out making him turn his face.

"Thank you very much, Gii-senpai." Morita bowed to him. Gii gave him a respectful nod in reply and then walked away.

Now alone again only this time with the letter in his hand, Morita carefully unfolded the piece of paper. He could feel his heart racing. He breathed in deeply to try to calm down. He wanted to make sure he fully understood the contents of the letter instead of turning into a weepy mess all over again. His lips curved into a smile as his eyes gazed into the first words of the letter.

_My Morita,_

_Fate can be so tricky_

_Once you thought you'll never have it then it's there_

_It came to me at a time I never imagined would come_

_And look what I have become._

_For the first time I see but a lifetime I knew_

_But never what I've conjured up to be_

_Words have been spoken and shared but never close_

_It's actually what's beyond words that mattered the most_

_It's unbelievable to think that such events happened at such short notice_

_Thinking you could've done more but that's just is_

_Maybe it was meant to happen all at once_

_But never cease to everyday leave you in a trance_

_For now all we have are memories of those short but magical moments_

_Those quiet endearing moments_

_Having turned them into reality, I am now fulfilled and complete_

_I am what I have become because of whom my heart has beat._

_Your Suzuki_

OWARI

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><p>Author notes: OH GOD! OH GOD! KYAAAAAAA! FINALLY IT'S DONE! This story was conceptualized long before I fangurled the MisuShin pair. It's gone through several major revisions, formatting, editing and have been put aside many times. I declare no claim to the original Takumi-kun characters except the ones that I have created like Morita's mom, roommate and the boys Gii "pimped" for Suzuki as well as the letter you see here. This is a poem originally titled April Love which I wrote years ago put here since it was apt for the story.<p> 


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